Paint Bucket Grid and Roller Frame for Compact Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for storing paint rollers between uses require plastic sheeting and tape to maintain moisture, leading to inefficient storage and increased costs due to waste and space requirements when stacking multiple buckets.
Innovation Solution
A paint bucket grid and roller frame combination where the roller frame's handle is designed to be shorter, allowing the roller to be stored with the handle below the bucket's brim, enabling the standard lid to seal the bucket, eliminating the need for plastic sheeting and tape, and allowing for compact stacking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the roller frame handle is extended above the bucket brim to suspend the roller for storage, then the roller remains moist and fresh, but multiple buckets cannot be compactly stacked and additional plastic sheeting and tape are required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention moves the roller suspension point from above the bucket brim to below the brim by repositioning the grid and roller vertically. This dimensional repositioning allows the bucket lid to seal properly while maintaining roller moisture through the paint pool, enabling compact stacking without sacrificing moisture retention functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The roller and grid are nested within the bucket in a compact configuration where the roller rests on the grid which is suspended from the bucket rim. This nested arrangement fits entirely within the bucket volume, eliminating the need for external plastic sheeting and tape while maintaining the moisture-retaining environment
2Reliability
If plastic sheeting and tape are used to seal the bucket for roller storage, then the roller remains moist, but material waste increases and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bucket's existing lid is designed to seal directly over the bucket opening without requiring additional plastic sheeting or tape. The self-contained sealing mechanism eliminates material waste while maintaining the moisture-retaining environment through the paint pool at the bucket bottom
Solution Approach 2:
The invention removes the need for external sealing materials (plastic sheeting and tape) by utilizing the bucket's own lid as the sealing element. This extraction of unnecessary components reduces material waste and cost while achieving the same moisture retention function
3Ease of operation
If the roller handle extends above the bucket brim, then the roller can be suspended for storage, but the bucket cannot be sealed with a standard lid
Solution Approach 1:
The invention repositions the roller suspension mechanism from above the bucket brim to below the brim by adjusting the grid height and roller placement. This dimensional change allows the standard bucket lid to seal properly over the opening while the roller remains suspended through the paint pool, simplifying the sealing mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
A combination of a paint bucket of traditional size with a paint bucket grid and paint roller with a roller cover attached is described wherein the grid and the paint roller can be stored in the bucket without the handle extending above the brim of the bucket and the roller cover not touching a shallow pool of liquid paint in the bottom of a cavity of the bucket.